“Yes.”
Xavier was called back to the castle thirty minutes later.
“I think he can sense when I’m happy,” he told Kat as he hung up.
“Blood Magic Happiness Radar?”
Xavier nodded seriously. “Exactly.”
“What did he want?”
“For me to return to the castle. I don’t know what he’s doing now, but I can’t deny him. Mind if I come back tomorrow night? Do you think you can find a new Grove spot by then?”
“We should have a few picked out by then. Hopefully, the forest will guide Rance. It should work with him if he truly is a Green Man.”
“Call me if you’ve reconsidered moving into the main pack house.”
“I’ll call you, anyway.” Kat’s light, teasing tone didn’t reassure Xavier, but he couldn’t make Kat leave without damaging their budding relationship. He had to trust his mate’s ability to judge his safety. It didn’t mean he had to like it, though.
Xavier kissed Kat goodbye and returned to the castle. The dryads were an issue he still needed to solve, but it wasn’t the only one.
CHAPTER10
Xavier was spotted two steps across the castle courtyard.
“You found your mate,” a female voice squealed as his arm was taken in an unforgiving vise grip.
“Zabria, you scared the shit out of me,” Xavier gasped, his heart thudding rapidly in his chest.
“Melcori’s not wrong when he says you should work on your situational awareness.” His best friend’s sparkly pink nails dug into his arm as she shook it like a puppy shaking its toy. “Now spill, what’s he like?”
“Adorable. Wait, how do you even know I have a mate?”
“You’re asking how a seer knows you found your mate?” The deadpan expression in her azure eyes had Xavier laughing.
“You’re always complaining about how people expect you to see everything. Why would I assume you could?”
Zabria sniffed. “You’re right.” She rallied quickly. “But this time I did, and he’s so cute!” she squealed loudly.
A glance around verified that no one was within hearing range. “He is,” Xavier agreed.
“Tell me everything!”
While heading to Melcori’s office, Xavier told Zabria all about his mountain lion and what he’d learned about dryads. If anyone could keep a secret, it was a seer.
One corridor from their goal, Zabria’s steps faltered, and molten silver shimmered across her pupils. Xavier sucked in his breath. This wasn’t the first time he’d seen Zabria have a vision, but it never got easier.
The voice emitting from Zabria’s mouth wasn’t her usual airy tones but deeper as if several voices were layered on top of each other. “Danger is coming from all sides. You must protect your heart and all that it holds dear. Be strong, be brave, and be aware.” She shook her head, and her eyes went back to normal.
“Could you see what the danger is?” Xavier kept his voice quiet. Visions often gave her migraines.
She shook her head. “It was shadowy as if there wasn’t a set fate for what danger was the most prominent.”
“Great. Just what I needed. Competing problems.”
Zabria’s brittle smile wasn’t as reassuring as he was sure she intended. “It will work out.” She patted his arm before turning on her heel and walking back down the hallway.
He didn’t bother calling her back. After a vision, she needed to rest, no matter how useless it might have been. It wasn’t as if the idea of being in danger was new. Between the Chimera, the scheming dryads, and anyone who hated Blood Magic, Xavier was used to being on the bad end of people’s intentions.
